sierras snowshoe & snow camptrip details

Wahoo! We're so pumped you're registered for this adventure, snowshoeing and snow camping on the edge of Tahoe National Forest. You'll find most of the info you need to prepare for your trip on this page.

We'll email you the week before the trip with final details about our meeting spot, carpools, and bios from the other rad ladies who'll be joining you.

our 'campsite'

We'll pitch our tents adjacent to our little private cabin for the weekend. This is basically your easiest introduction to snow camping: you'll sleep outdoors, but have a nice indoor spot to cook, eat, and hang out in the evenings. The cabin has no electricity, and we'll bring small propane canisters to warm it.

There's a pit toilet a brief walk away, so you won't need to poop or pee outdoors...unless you want to.

Meals

Dinner on Day One, breakfast/lunch/dinner on Day Two, and breakfast on Day Three will be provided. The group will share in cooking and cleanup responsibilities.

We’ll eat tasty hot meals for breakfast and dinner. Each Maven will create her own ‘snack bag’ at the start of the trip, with PB&Js, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, jerky, granola bars, etc. To keep our energy up, we’ll snack throughout the day on trail, rather than having a single lunch meal. We’ll have more than enough snacks for you (think: bars, nuts, dried fruit, jerky for meat eaters) but if you’ve got any favorite trail treats, feel free to bring them.

We'll stop for lunch en route to the mountains on the first day of the trip. Please bring cash for that meal!

Hiking

On Day One, we'll snowshoe about a mile to our cabin on rolling terrain with fully loaded packs on. After arriving, we can explore the area with our packs off. Total distance: 1-3 miles.

On Day Two, we'll explore on the nearby Pioneer Trail on snowshoes, and with packs off. Total distance: 5-6 miles.

On Day Three, we'll snowshoe from our cabin back to our cars. Total distance: 1 mile.

Packing List

Each Trail Maven should plan on bringing:

Sunscreen/sunglasses/lip balm

Waterproof boots (snow boots or high-ankle waterproof hiking boots)

Health insurance card & ID

Feminine hygiene products as needed

Toothbrush/mini toothpaste/floss

Personal medications

Glasses/contacts with solution

A pen

(Trail Mavens alumnae only): previous Field Notes

Optional but recommended: lightweight backpacking pillow, earplugs, comfy lightweight shoes or slippersocks for hanging out in our cabin, camera, gaiters if your snow pants don't have them built in

Weather

Click here for the mountain weather forecast as we approach our trip! For those not from Northern California, note that the Sierras can fluctuate from below-freezing to relatively warm and sunny in the winter.

Leave No Trace

Trail Mavens is committed to following and teaching Leave No Trace principles. To get you started, watch this video on Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics from the National Parks Service. We'll cover this material again on our trip!

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking

Trail Mavens often enjoy wine or whiskey together in the evenings. Participation in drinking is welcome but of course not mandatory. We ask that Trail Mavens leave recreational drugs at home. If you’re a smoker, please be respectful and partake in a manner that doesn’t bother other group members, and adheres to Leave No Trace principles.

Electronics

This is an internet-free weekend! If you’d like to share your pics on social media, go for it, but only after we get back home. Then, feel free to go crazy tagging @trailmavens on Instagram or Twitter.

Gear Care

Trail Mavens provides its adventurers with $800-1000 of fantastic backpacking gear. Here are a couple tips on how to keep gear in fantastic condition:

TENTSYour tent is your home for the weekend, so you want to keep it clean and tidy! Keep the door zipped shut unless you’re getting in or out. Consume only water inside your tent to keep it scent-free, and store anything smelly, including toiletries, in our cabin. High-end tent fabric is very delicate; keep shoes and anything else dirty or sharp outside.